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To create a series of free community spaces devoted to creativity and intellectual curiosity.

By creating spaces that are free of any political, religious, or social affiliations, Oregon can help to address the following concerns:

1. There is a severe lack of free public space in the United States, even in “weird” places like Portland.

2. Most people are living insularly, whether they intend to or not. People are seldom challenged by the differing beliefs and ideas of others. It is an unfortunate “convenience” of our society that we are all able to surround ourselves with people just like us, and to ingest the newssources that best represent our own worldviews.

3. Even like-minded communities (such as we have here in Portland) can hardly be said to be thriving. Moreover, most people who dwell outside of the university system are unable to find a stimulating intellectual community.

By developing these freely creative spaces--places where people can form and share new ideas--we can uproot the binding political, religious and social structures and begin to sow seeds for a new community and a new world.

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    anonymousanonymous shared this idea  ·   ·  Flag idea as inappropriate…  ·  Admin →

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      Guidelines for Posting Ideas

      Oregon was once known as a place where new, creative thinking flourished and people weren’t afraid to face hard truths and take bold steps. But lately Oregon conversations are full of pessimism and cynicism. We all know Oregon is in a world of hurt. We’ve grown accustomed to hearing what’s wrong here.

      Meyer Memorial Trust wants to help change the tone of the conversations and jumpstart action that again makes our state a place where ideas begin and grow. But we need your help. Tell us what you think is the most pressing issue facing Oregon that an investment of up to $1 million from MMT could provide meaningful support and leverage over the next two years. Give us your best ideas about the form that support and leverage might take.

      This is not a time for faint hearted suggestions. We're looking for bold and innovative approaches. And while the nonprofit sector is proving itself to be resilient, innovative and inspired in these times, we need to move beyond categorical thinking and invite all sectors to work together to address the issues we face before it's too late. This is not the place for an organization to make a pitch for funds on its own behalf. We’re looking for ideas that rise above individual organizations and constituencies.

      Asking for public input in this kind of forum is new for us. Frankly, we don’t quite know what to expect. But we have faith that Oregonians will take this process seriously and contribute their best thinking. We believe Oregonians are ready to reengage and stay engaged and work together to find solutions. But awarding the million dollars depends on the quality of ideas—if we don’t have sufficient participation or we don’t find a good match with MMT’s mission and values, we reserve the right to find another route to helping create a better future for Oregon.

      We are confident Oregonians won’t let us down. We expect lively—but civil—discussions. We desire innovative, entrepreneurial ideas…the kind Fred Meyer might have had.

      Thank you for jumpstarting a better future for Oregon by submitting your million dollar idea below and/or commenting on ideas already suggested.